Sun Dried Tomato Venison Meatballs

Venison meatballs combined with sun dried tomatoes, marinara sauce and lots of cheese, are perfect served over pasta for an easy weeknight meal.

I don’t know about your family, but mine loves meatballs. I’ve made many varieties, and I am always thinking of new ways to make them or serve the ones we love. Appetizers, over pasta, zoodles, or rice, with lots of sauce, on a sandwich, in soup…you name it, we’ve probably tried it.

I had some sun dried tomatoes that I needed to use up, and J loves them, so I wanted to find a way a really good way to use them. He also loves all things venison and marinara. And we all love meatballs. So, why not combine all of those ingredients, add a ton of cheese, and serve it over whole wheat pasta??

Not only were these easy to make, but they were a bigger hit with the family than I anticipated. If I’m being honest, I wasn’t sure how crazy about them I would be. I’m not a huge fan of sun dried tomatoes or marinara, so you can understand my doubt. BUT. I thought they were fantastic and I gobbled them up.

That, my friends, is a definite win. And I now have one more meatball recipe in my arsenal. And so do you.

Want even more meatball recipes? Try these!

• Albondigas (Spanish Meatballs)
• Baked Turkey Meatballs
• Cheesy Enchilada Crockpot Meatballs
• Italian Herb Baked Meatballs
• Slow Cooker Chipotle BBQ Meatballs

Print

Sun Dried Tomato Venison Meatballs

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Total Time

25 mins

 

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Meatballs

Keyword: Beef, Meatballs, Pasta, Sun Dried Tomatoes, Venison

Author: Jaida

Ingredients

For the Meatballs:

• 1 lb ground venison or beef
• 1 egg lightly whisked
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes in oil, drained and diced
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 4 minced garlic cloves
• 4 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1 Tbsp fresh chopped oregano
• 1 Tbsp fresh chopped basil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 lb pasta of choice (I used whole wheat penne)
• 1/4 cup basil leaves, sliced (optional)

For the Sauce:

• 24 oz jar of four cheese marinara or your favorite pasta sauce
• 6 oz shredded mozzarella

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine meatball ingredients, other than the oil. Mix with hands until just combined – you don’t want to overmix.
2. Using a medium cookie scoop or tablespoon, shape into evenly sized meatballs. You will get approximately 24.
3. Heat the oil in a large, non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add meatballs and cook, in batches if neccesary, for 2-3 minutes per side, until browned. Remove to a plate.

4. Add the pasta sauce and heat over medium heat for until simmering. Add the meatballs back to the pan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and add cheeste. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until meatballs are cooked through.

5. While the meatballs are cooking, make your pasta according to the package instructions. Typically you bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook for 8-10 minutes, depending on the pasta. Drain water. 

6. Serve meatballs over pasta with extra sauce and garnish with basil, if desired.